The Senate Education Committee met Tuesday afternoon and advanced three bills regarding emergency situations for teachers, senior citizens’ education, and financial aid for post-secondary education.

House Bill 4798 would authorize wearable panic alert systems in West Virginia schools under “Alyssa’s Law.”

The devices would allow school personnel to directly contact 9-1-1 and trigger campus-wide lockdown notifications during emergencies, contingent upon available funding.

The bill directs state education officials to set implementation rules. It allows county boards to distribute devices and requires annual training. The bill also mandates coordination with local law enforcement for security access. It creates a school safety fund for equipment costs and sunsets in 2029.

During testimony on House Bill 4798, Lori Alhadeff, mother of Alyssa, shared a personal plea for the legislature. She recounted the loss of her 14-year-old daughter in a school shooting and emphasized the life-saving potential of wearable panic alert devices, stating that if the bill passes and the devices are in every school, “Alyssa will be saving so many lives.”

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

House Bill 5110 would lower the age for tuition and fee waivers at West Virginia colleges from 65 to 60.

This bill would allow seniors to take courses for credit or audit at reduced rates, depending on residency and classroom availability.

The bill requires schools to set rules for priority registration, additional fees like labs or parking, and tuition for credit courses at 50% of normal resident rates. The program applies to in-person, online, and other distance learning courses.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

House Bill 5212 would modernize West Virginia’s financial aid programs, streamline eligibility, and expand support for part-time and workforce-focused students. It also clarifies rules for loans, scholarships, and repayment requirements.

The bill would connect financial aid more closely to high-need job sectors, reduce administrative complexity, and create a more coordinated system for students and institutions across the state.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.

The Senate Judiciary Committee met this afternoon and advanced several bills on firearms, polling locations, and child torture laws.

Senate Bill 986 would create a new criminal offense for child torture in West Virginia.

The bill defines child torture as a course of conduct that causes severe physical or emotional harm to a child under a caregiver’s supervision. Acts covered in the bill include inflicting extreme pain, depriving a child of necessities, subjecting a child to unsafe conditions or extreme temperatures, and other conduct that places a child at risk of serious injury.

Under the bill, anyone found guilty of child torture would face felony penalties, ranging from 1-5 years in prison if no bodily injury occurs, and 2-10 years if the child suffers bodily injury.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 481 would require precincts to be reported independently and update state law by changing the term “precinct” to “polling location.”

The bill would set standards for election boards, including poll clerks and election commissioners, and clarify mapping and reporting requirements for counties and the Secretary of State to support federal and state redistricting.

Senate Bill 1071 would establish the Public Defense and Provisions Act and establish a new state Office of Public Defense within the West Virginia State Police.

The office would be authorized to acquire and transfer machine guns to qualified residents who pass a background check. The firearms would be similar to those used by law enforcement or the military.

The state and its employees would not be liable for the actions of individuals who legally obtain these machine guns.

The bill sets rules for record-keeping, transfer fees, and the operation of the office.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 963 would require a full court hearing before someone can be barred from having guns under a protective order. The hearing must include the respondent, their lawyer, and clear evidence that they pose an immediate danger.

The bill allows the respondent an automatic appeal if their firearms are restricted. All other parts of the protective order, such as banning abuse, harassment, stalking, or threats, would stay in effect.

The gun restrictions may only be applied when the court finds convincing evidence of immediate danger to the petitioner and cannot be used for punitive purposes.

A witness testified in opposition to the bill, expressing concern for those in domestic violence situations, specifically the petitioner. She noted that a large share of women in the U.S. are killed by current or former partners, highlighting the risks involved when firearms are restricted under protective orders.

Following a discussion, the bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 686 would allow coal operators to mine land if 75 percent or more, agree. Owners who do not agree would still get paid their fair share, and operators are protected from legal trouble if the mining is done legally. The bill also safeguards miners and surface land rights.

If some owners can’t be found, the money owed to them goes into a special state fund managed by the Treasurer. The fund pays claims, and after seven years, surface owners can claim future rights, nut not past payments, so mining can continue smoothly while protecting missing owners.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 182 would allow municipalities to expand their boundaries through a process called “minor boundary adjustment,” which is a streamlined method for annexation. Under this bill, a municipality can apply to the county commission for permission to annex territory, provided the annexation does not increase the total municipal boundary by more than 105 percent or the current area by more than 120 percent.

The legislation also introduces specific conditions for annexing streets or highways, allowing for annexation of a street or highway along with at least one property owner (freeholder), or a street or highway alone if it’s essential for emergency services and no freeholder is involved.

The application process requires detailed information, including consent from affected residents and businesses, a map of the territory, and a plan for providing public services. The county commission would review the application, considering factors like contiguity, impact on services, and the overall best interest of the county, before making a decision, with provisions for public hearings and appeals to the circuit court.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

The Senate Judiciary Committee met on Friday morning and advanced three bills regarding governing cooperatives, indecent exposure in school locker rooms, and adult cabaret performances.

Senate Bill 723 would clarify state law governing cooperation between West Virginia law enforcement agencies and agencies in bordering states.

The bill updates definitions and outlines procedures for temporary assistance between state, local, and bordering-state law enforcement agencies.

One of the terms updated in the bill is “law-enforcement agency,” clarifying that the definition includes federal, state, and local agencies authorized to enforce criminal law, such as State Police, municipal police departments, sheriffs’ offices, and the Division of Forestry.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Originating Bill 1 would expand the crime of indecent exposure.

Senator Ryan W. Weld (R – Brooke, 01) raised concerns about the bill’s vagueness, noting that it does not clearly define “undresses” and giving the example that even removing a sweatshirt could potentially be considered a violation.

The bill is intended to clarify the offense of indecent exposure, including incidents such as a person undressing in a locker room designated for the opposite sex.

Weld proposed an amendment specifying that any acts of indecent exposure described in the bill would be prohibited in locker rooms designated for the opposite sex.

The amendment removes the word “undresses” from the bill and defines indecent exposure by reference to the acts listed in the subsection.

The amendment was rejected.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 590 would make it a criminal offense to perform an adult cabaret where it could be seen by a minor.

The bill defines “adult cabaret performances” as a performance in a location other than an adult cabaret that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to the prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of consideration.

A first violation would be a misdemeanor, while a second offense would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.